Tuesday, July 21, 2015

DIY Pocket Folders

I am so excited to be sharing this nifty trick with you today! I can't believe how many of you liked, shared, and commented on this post on Facebook, so I figured I'd show you just how I make my sight word pocket folders!

You can use these little folders for anything- sight words, math facts, letters, flash cards... anything you can think of! I start using them at the beginning of the year for sight words, and then toward the end of the year, we use new ones for math facts.

To get started, you'll need standard 2-pocket folders. I got mine at Walmart for 15 cents each... can't get much better than that! I recommend not using the shiny kind because they don't fold as well as the paper ones. I find that they hold up pretty well, and the flaps can always be reinforced with cute duct tape for your kiddos who are a little harder on their belongings.

Your first step is to get a 10" baking pan. You want to put it about 3/4 of the way up the folder. The folders that I bought have a little rectangle for a label, and it worked perfectly to line up the baking pan with the bottom of the label. Trace the baking pan on the folder so that you have drawn a semi-circle.

Next, take your scissors and cut on the line that you drew. You will end up with this shape.

Open up your folder and cut a slit down the middle of the two halves. This will make it easier for you to fold the flaps.

Next, fold down the two semi-circles to create your flaps. The slit that you cut in the last step will help your flaps be easier to fold.

Now it's time to make your folders pretty! I printed these labels on Avery 5163 shipping labels. They are 2"x4".

Place labels on the flaps of your pocket folders so that students know what is stored in each pocket. In my class, students put their sight words in the "words I'm learning" pocket. When they have mastered those words, they move them to the "words I know pocket," and get new words for the "words I'm learning" side. I do not velcro down the flaps, but I do velcro the folder closed. As long as the folder stays closed, the flaps will stay closed as well. No need to over-velcro (and it's expensive!)

And that's it! Now you have a cute, durable, multi-purpose pocket folder! Enjoy!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this! For some reason, most of my students always struggle with sight words, so all summer I've looked for different ways to make them exciting for them to practice. I just made a practice folder and it was super easy!!! Thanks for this awesome idea!